


Neal and Alex's Daughter

by NoApollonia



Category: White Collar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:00:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24929569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoApollonia/pseuds/NoApollonia
Summary: What if Alex had died keeping a huge secret from Neal? Little AU considering it adds a character, but I imagine it to be set somewhere in the second season
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Neal and Alex's Daughter

"Peter, the more times you lecture me on getting this report done, the longer it's going to take," said Neal barely glancing at Peter, who had just walked up to his desk. "I promise to have it done before lunch...unless of course you would rather write it and I go get us something that actually passes for coffee." Neal ended with a joke.

"Neal, I need to talk to you about some news...some news you will find upsetting and some news I am not quite sure how you will take." said Peter. Sighing, thinking he would never say these words, "The report can wait."

Neal got up in a hurry and did a dramatic palm on Peter's forehead. "Are you okay, Peter? You have to be sick to say that." Neal laughed as he leaned back against his desk.

"Don't tempt me into handcuffing you to that desk the rest of the week...but for now, I think we should speak upstairs in my office." said Peter, turning and walking to his office. Both men walked up to Peter's office and took their usual seats. "Like I said downstairs, I have two bits of news to tell you."

Neal found his thoughts wandering and spinning, trying to figure out what he's done recently to annoy Peter and couldn't come up with much besides stealing Peter's wallet at lunch the day before to annoy him. "So I'm assuming if you were sending me back to prison, you could have done that from downstairs...so what's the news?"

Peter, wishing to be anywhere but here at the moment, quickly decided to just be out with the upsetting news quickly. "Neal, I just found out through Vice that Alex Hunter is dead. She died yesterday. It appears she took on a new client to fence for and well it ended badly." Peter quickly scanned Neal's face, knowing Neal and Alex had more of a history than either would have let on to him and really to each other.

"Wh..what..? Are you sure?" said Neal, stammering a little. He had heard through Mozzie that Alex was taking on a new client, so while he really wanted Peter to be playing the world's most sadistic prank, he couldn't help but believe it was true.

"I just identified her body myself. That's where I was this morning when you claimed I was deserting you at your desk." said Peter. "Neal, I know she was a good friend and this is likely extremely upsetting."

Neal quickly bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from crying. "You're right - we were friends. A lot of back and forth between us throughout the years and a bit of rivalry. I did hear through sources she was taking on new clients." Remembering Peter had said something about two pieces of news, "So what's the news you aren't sure how I'll take? Or was this it?"

"Actually, this was the upsetting news." Peter paused, trying to figure out how to tell Neal the news Alex had kept from him for years. While he could somewhat see her reasons, it also seemed so extremely cold. Then again Neal and Alex never seemed to get along for long.

"Well you just told me about the death of a friend...what news could be worse?" said Neal with a bitter laugh. "You might as well tell me and let me process both. Don't make me drag it out of you." Neal quickly realized he sounded like Peter and had to shake his head to get the thought out.

"It appears that Alex had a secret...something she was keeping from you from around the time you went to prison. I have no idea how to say this...Alex...and you...had a daughter."

"What?" said Neal. "No way, no way Alex would keep this from me!" Neal said with a bit of defense, despite knowing Alex had kept a lot of things from him throughout the years.

"It's true, Neal. Her name is Alice and it appears Alex had been paying for her to be at a boarding school. I assume to keep her safe." said Peter in a matter-of-fact tone, not knowing how else to break this news to his friend and partner. "She's five and from what I gathered from quickly speaking to the school, very smart...which shouldn't be surprising to you."

"Where is this school?" Neal said suddenly. "I have to meet her...if she wants to meet me. She must think her dad is awful...ah crap, how do I deal with this? But I do have to meet her."

"The school is outside your radius and actually outside the state. Though your daughter is actually downstairs right now." Peter paused to grab one of Neal's hands in hopes to keep him from freaking out. "She just found out her mother died and that her father works here. But before you go downstairs, I'm not sure how custody is going to work considering you are still technically a ward of the state."

"What you mean...is I won't be able to get custody of my own daughter?" said Neal agasp. "That's not fair. I didn't even know about her, but I want to be in her life, Peter."

"I understand, Neal, but it is how the law works. They can't be sure you would be able to stay a constant presence in her life." said Peter. "I do think you should meet her and maybe something could be worked out where she could be placed nearby so you could have contact. Let's worry about that later and go introduce you to your daughter."

Following Peter to the elevators, Neal sent a quick text to Mozzie about the situation. He couldn't imagine not telling Mozzie about Alex's death and included the part about the daughter in small hopes Mozzie might know someone in their circle who might be safe enough to take in his child. Noticing Peter staring at him, Neal quickly pocketed his phone. "Just checking messages...let's go."

Downstairs, Peter left Neal alone with Alice after introducing them to each other and took a seat outside of the room they were in. He felt terrible for Neal to only now get to know he has a kid and then would likely have her ripped back away from him soon. He texted El with the news, figuring she would call for details when she could check the text. Hearing his phone ring, Peter quickly answered it. "Hi Hun..."

Neal and Alice both were drawing as Neal was having trouble thinking of what children would like. He couldn't help looking at her and thinking she was so beautiful. He could see aspects of both himself and Alex in her. She had Alex's hair and his blue eyes. He couldn't believe his daughter already knew his name before they met and that she knew both her parents sometimes didn't obey the law. He had to chuckle with that bit as he was now on the right side of the law, if forcibly. Though he would deny it if anyone asked, he had to admit being on this side has more advantages. Remembering they might only have the day together, Neal went into questions about favorite color, favorite TV show, etc hoping to absorb as much knowledge about her as possible.

"Are you sure Hun? I mean I would love to take in Alice myself, but I had even forgot we had once applied to be foster parents before changing our minds." said Peter to his phone and hearing his wife tell him he's insane and that of course she would love to take Alice in. They had always wanted kids and while this one would always be Neal's, they would get the experience of raising one and it would benefit Neal as his radius had been extended to include the Burke household. "I'll have to talk to the caseworker, but I doubt she will find many objections to an FBI agent taking Alice in. I should go and have that talk though while Neal's busy just in case." Peter and El exchanged their goodbyes.

Peter couldn't remember the last time he was so anxious to talk to someone while sitting in the caseworker's office after having made a run by the fax machine to grab the documentation El had sent. "So do you think it's possible Alice could be placed with me and my wife?"

"Honestly, I am not sure I would typically recommend a quick placement...but considering you are willing to give her father access and you and your wife already have met the requirements...I do think I will agree to it." said the caseworker with a smile. She had already felt bad that the father wasn't going to be around his child even though the rules did state a child couldn't be placed with someone who's technically still serving a prison term, even if it is albeit a tracking anklet. "I'll sign off on all the papers and fax them to the appropriate people and get her records sent to you."

Peter left the caseworker's office with a sigh of relief. He couldn't wait to be the one to tell Neal the news that he would be able to have lots of access to his daughter. He did hope Neal would be okay with him taking action without consulting him - even if he didn't technically have to. Peter knocked on the door of the room Neal and Alice were in before opening the door. "Hey you two, can I borrow your dad for just a couple minutes? I promise to bring him right back." Alice nodded and Neal got up and left with Peter.

"What's wrong Peter? No one surely has objections to me spending a couple hours with her while in the FBI building. What could I possibly do?" said Neal a little worried. "Plus you would probably murder me if I even tried."

"Good point. But no, actually I need to speak to you about something." Peter filled Neal in on what he had missed. "I really didn't plan for all this to happen behind your back, but I wanted to get it all started...and then it kind of steamrolled. I hope you will see this would be..."

Neal cut off Peter with a tight hug. "It's more than okay, Peter. This is the best thing I could have hoped for really considering." Neal released Peter. "Are you sure El is okay with this? I don't want her to resent me or Alice."

"If anything, she wants her there more than me and you...if that's even possible." said Peter. "It lucks out the school sent over her things assuming she might be placed with people who might choose another school. So honestly everything is here. And I know you never expected to hear me say this, but I think this even calls for taking the rest of the day off. I texted Hughes earlier and he is fine with it."

"So I don't have to finish the report?" said Neal, half joking half serious.

"No, it just means you will finish it tomorrow." said Peter. "Now do you want to be the one to tell Alice the news or should I? I do get this is all a big interruption in her life and we will eventually have to say why she can't live with you."

"We probably should tell her together - explain the entire situation, even though it pains me." said Neal with a sigh. "Let's get it over with...and I know those are words you didn't expect me to say."

Peter laughed as both men headed back to tell Alice the news.

\--TWO MONTHS LATER--

"Neal, could you grab the fondue pot off the top shelf" said El. "I have to admit it's nice having another tall man around the house. I figured it could be fun for dessert."

Neal laughed as he happily handed her the pot. He had only been able to move in with the Burke's about two weeks ago. He couldn't believe they fixed up the third floor for him and even got permission for him to live there. Alice was now living in the guest room on the second floor while the top floor was entirely his. The front half was a combo studio space/rec room/play room while the back half was his bedroom and a second bathroom. "Anything for you, El. I owe you and Peter well anything at this point."

"You know, one day I would have taken you up on that one and asked for a list of all the things you've done and all the stuff you've taken." said Peter entering the room with Alice, whom he had picked up from the private school down the road he and Neal had looked into. "Though strangely, I keep hearing about all these pieces being returned to museums anonymously - stuff that had been stolen. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that?"

Neal finished fixing Alice's snack and sat it at the dining table before sitting down next to her and stealing a slice of apple while she giggled at him. "Of course not!" Neal was lucky Mozzie had a soft spot for children or he never would have been able to talk him into traveling to his stashes to return everything Neal had stolen.

"Where is Uncle Mozzie?" asked Alice, betraying Neal a little. "He's so much fun!" She squeezed Mozart, the teddy Uncle Mozzie had given her soon after they met. She couldn't believe an adult would keep a toy that long, but she loved the bear all the same.

"Oh, just traveling." said Neal giving Peter a look of hopes he somehow hadn't heard what she said.

"Traveling huh?" said Peter, taking a sip of coffee. "Anywhere I would be interested in?" He gave Neal a look he had every idea what the little guy had been up to. "Anything I should be looking into?"

"Thought you just said you were happy all the museums and people were getting everything returned. Plus you know Mozzie - he can't sit still." said Neal, walking to the kitchen to get his own cup of coffee.

"I'm voting for Peter ends this now and is happy." says El, while sipping her tea. "Plus look what a cute little family we have become." She smiles with the three smiles she sees light up three of her four favorite people. She was looking forward to Mozzie being back to make it four.


End file.
